1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1 medium carrot, shredded
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 slices dilled Havarti cheese (4 to 6 ounces)
4 flatbreads or pita bread rounds
Romaine leaves (optional)
Sliced tomato (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place peas in 1-quart microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on 100 percent power (high) for 2 minutes. Using a food processor or an immersion blender, puree garbanzo beans, carrot, flour, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the pepper, and salt. Stir in peas. Form mixture into eight patties.
Heat remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned and heated through.
Meanwhile, place flat breads on a baking sheet. Place two slices of cheese atop each flatbread. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Place two patties on each flatbread; fold over. Cut in half and, if desired, serve with romaine and tomato.
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.
Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
Make a small depression in the middle of lour and pur yeast water in depression.
Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer stick and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.
Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to preheat your baking sheet also.
Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.
Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.
Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.
In a bowl, combine semolina, butter, ghee, sugar, nutmeg, mahlab, and yeast. Mix the ingredients well then cover and set aside for at least 4 hours.
Pin an electric mixer, blend the pistachio until they are completely crushed. Remove and place in a bowl.
Mix blossom water, rose water and NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk until all ingredients are well combined. Cover and place in fridge for 1 hour.
Add rose water and blossom water to the dried mixture, knead by hands until the dough starts to hold together or forms a paste. If necessary, add a small amount of rose water.
Remove a small piece of dough and flatten it with your hands and place a teaspoonful of the filling. Close carefully to form a ball.
Press the stuffed dough into a wooden maamoul mold to form a pattern on the upper side of the dough.
Tap out onto an cookie sheet that is not greased and bake in a 185c for 15-20 minutes or until lightly colored but not browned.
1060 ml water split in to 4 equal parts (4x 265ml)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons of chosen Steenbergs essence (Orange, Rose, Peppermint, Vanilla, Almond or Lemon)
2/3 drops of food colouring (yellow for lemon, pink for rose, orange for orange etc)
50g Pistachio nuts (optional)
200g Icing sugar
Vegetable oil (for greasing)
Direction
Line a deep baking tray with greaseproof paper
In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar and 2x 265 ml water on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a sugar thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine cream of tartar, 125g cornflour and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency.
Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in your chosen Steenbergs essence, food colouring and optional Pistachio nuts. Pour mixture into lined baking tray. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.
Once it has cooled overnight, sift together icing sugar and remaining 30g cornstarch together.
Turn out Turkish delight onto table and cut with oiled knife into cubes.
Dust cubes with icing sugar and cornflour mixture.
Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper.
Fresh phyllo dough from an authentic Greek deli, non of that frozen BS from the grocery store - 2 packages
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING
unsalted (butter) melted - 3-4 sticks
A shit ton of walnuts - 3 cups
1 part blanched almonds to every shit ton of walnuts - 1(ish) cups
sugar - 1/4 cup
cinnamon - at least a few teaspoons
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SYRUP
sugar - 4 cups
water - 2 cups
Lemon - 1 thick slice
cinnamon stick - 1
honey - 1/2 cup
Directions
The first rule in making traditional Greek baklava is to let someone else do the tedious work for you....it’s well worth a trip to the Greek market and $4 for freshly made phyllo.
Preheat the oven to 350°
Melt butter in a small saucepan. While that shit is melting, put a small Greek kid to work at chopping the nuts.
Grind the walnuts nuts until they appear evenly coarse. Toss them into a big mixing bowl and repeat with the almonds. Then add the sugar and add few punches of cinnamon into the mix. If you have a trained Greek nose like Yiorgi, you will know when the mix is right by the scent of the bowl, basically it should give off a nice nutty aroma with a spicy kick of cinnamon.
Mix it all up with a wooden spoon and set aside. Lightly grease the pan. Roll out the phyllo dough.
Lay down 1 sheet of phyllo and brush with melted butter. Repeat 6 more times so you have a base of 7 sheets, no more, no less. Sprinkle a houfta (handful) of the nut mix over the phyllo dough. If you have small and delicate American hands like me, you may need two houftas.
Now cover with another sheet of phyllo and butter it up. Add a second sheet and butter that poutana up too. Sprinkle with your houfta and repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat...You will do this for what feels like 3000 years but, really only until you’ve made it through 2 of the phyllo packages.
Once you have filled your pan nearly 3/4 of the way to the top you will stop with the houfta nonsense and add 8-10 layers of only phyllo painted with butter. It’s almost oven time but NEVER forget to cut the baklava before baking or it will be like cutting through Kevlar. Gently score the top layer every 2 inches, then cut into squares along your lines.
Once you’re square, you will cut each square in half forming little Greek deltas.
Take a shot of ouzo.
Bake the batch for 45-50 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for another 20-30 minutes until it is the warm golden color of an Ancient Greek Goddess’ skin.
While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. In this case, we will actually measure. Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan. Boil until clear, like ouzo. Also, take a shot of ouzo now....you’ve earned it, koukla!
Once the syrup is clarified, remove from heat and and add the lemon, honey and cinnamon stick. Allow to cool.
Once the baklava is baked to perfection, remove from the oven and evenly pour the syrup over the HOT baklava. The sweet sizzling sound lets your know that all of those crispy thin layers are soaking up the syrup.
It is important that you let the baklava set for at least 8 hours before serving.
Potatoes - 4 large (or use about 15 baby potatoes)
Rosemary (dried) - 2 tsp (or use 1 tbsp of fresh rosemary)
Garlic - 1 bulb
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Direction
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash the potatoes and dry it completely using a clean kitchen towel. If you are using large potatoes, cut it into big chunks. If using baby potatoes, you can leave them whole.
Take the potatoes in a large bowl. Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary with it.
Cut the garlic bulb in half or leave it whole. Add it along with the above mixture.
Take a large roasting dish and drizzle some olive oil. Add the potatoes and spread it at the bottom of the pan.
Clean the chicken and dry it completely.
Juice the lemon and rub it all around the chicken. Leave the lemon rind along with the potatoes in the baking dish.
Mix the butter, garlic, rosemary, salt, crushed pepper powder and the leftover lemon juice in a bowl.
Spread some of this butter mixture under the skin of the chicken. Spread the remaining butter all over the chicken.
Place the chicken carefully on the bed of potatoes.
Tuck the legs and wings of the chicken under the body to prevent it from getting burnt.
Bake for about 1.5 hours. Check the internal temperature. If it has reached 170 degree F, remove it from the oven. If not keep it for another 10 minutes and check. If you do not have a kitchen thermometer, cut with a knife into the chicken. If the juices coming out of the chicken are clear and colourless, then the chicken is cooked. Do not overcook, else the chicken will become dry.
Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before you dig in.
Whole Garam Masala - 2" piece cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 3 cardamom, 1 star anise, 3 kalpasi
Direction
Cut the chicken and cut it into medium size pieces. Marinate it with salt, lemon juice and turmeric powder for at least half an hour.
Dry roast the ingredients under 'List II' on low flame till the coconut turns golden brown in colour. After it cools make a powder of it and keep aside.
Make a paste of the ingredients under 'List I'. Keep this aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the cumin seeds and bay leaf.
Add the chopped onions and fry till it becomes brown in colour.
Add the ground paste of 'List I' and fry till the raw smell is gone.
Add the marinated chicken and fry for few minutes. The chicken releases lot of water.
Now add the remaining ingredients - tomato puree, powdered mixture of 'List II', required salt and water.
Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. By now the chicken pieces will be completely cooked.
This is the right time to check for salt and other spices. Adjust anything if needed.
Cook uncovered till the oil floats on top of the gravy.
Add the finely chopped cilantro and fresh curry leaves and switch off. Keep the gravy covered till you are ready to serve.
1⁄2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. canola oil, plus more
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 small yellow onion, minced
3⁄4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1⁄4 cup minced cilantro
1⁄4 cup minced mint
1⁄2 tsp. garam masala
2 small green Thai chiles or 1 serrano, minced
1 (1") piece of ginger, peeled and minced
Tamarind and coconut-cilantro chutneys, for serving (optional)
Direction
Make the dough: Pulse flour, butter, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. Add water; pulse until dough forms. Divide into 12 balls; chill 1 hour.
Make the filling: Boil potatoes and carrots in a 4-qt. saucepan of salted water until tender, 8–10 minutes. Drain; coarsely mash. Add 2 tbsp. oil to pan; heat over medium-high. Cook cumin seeds until they pop, 1–2 minutes. Add onion and ginger; cook until golden, 4–6 minutes. Let cool; stir into potato mixture with peas, cilantro, mint, garam masala, chiles, and salt.
Form and fry samosas: Working with 1 ball at a time, roll dough into a 6" round; cut in half. Gather straight edges of 1 half-round together, overlapping by 1⁄4" to form a cone. Moisten seam with water; press to seal. Spoon 1 tbsp. filling into cone. Moisten edges of cone with water; pinch to seal. Heat 2" oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Fry samosas until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Drain on paper towels; serve with chutneys if you like.
1 handful fresh parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tbs. bread crumbs (I used panko)
4 tbs. flour
Direction
Once the potatoes have been boiled and mashed, add in all the other ingredients.
Form into patties (you should be able to get 8 large patties or 10 smaller ones).
Heat a little oil over medium-high heat and fry a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain and cool on paper towels.
Serve with any kind of sauce you like (I served it with a cottage/ricotta cheese mixture, but I imagine this would be delicious with some kind of chutney)!
Wash the Paya well in running water. Boil for 1 minute, then drain the water.
Fry the onion in oil in a large pot. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander powder and salt to the paya along with 6-8 cups of water. Let it cook on slow flame for 5- 6 hours.
Add the corn flour and yogurt. Cook for a few minutes to thicken, stirring continuously to avoid l lumps.
Finally sprinkle the garam masala on it.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, green chillies and sliced ginger.
Soak black gram and rice together for 1 hour. Grind it to fine batter (Vada batter consistency. Add very little water while grinding.). Grind coconut and extract coconut milk.
Add a pinch of baking soda to the batter; mix well. Heat oil in a wok; gently drop small portion of batter; fry till golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon.
Mix coconut milk, sugar and cardamom powder in a bowl. Drop paniyarams in the prepared milk, let it soak for few minutes and then serve.
Pressure cook the chicken with ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt for 2 whistles.
Once the pressure released, drain the chicken. (Can use the stock for soup). In the same cooker, mix the drained chicken, chilly powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, salt and 1 cup of water. Bring it to boil with the lid open.
Once the water reduced to half, remove the chicken pieces and set it aside.
Collect the gravy inside the cooker.
Debone the chicken
Heat oil in a pan and saute the chopped onion.
Once the onion becomes translucent add chopped tomato, Saute for 2 minutes.
Now add the deboned chicken and stir well for 5minutes
Add the collected gravy from the cooker. Stir well till dry.
Add curry leaves and coconut oil (optional) and remove from the heat.
Tasty kothu kozhi is ready. Its best combination for rasam rice. Or we can roll it in chappathi
